HEC organizes 1stCapacity Building Workshop on Journal Recognition to Strengthen Editorial Standards of Research Journals

Islamabad, April 14, 2025 — The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan continues its commitment to advancing the quality of research publications nationwide. As part of its sustained efforts over the past two decades, HEC has launched a series of workshops aimed at equipping editorial teams of research journals with skills aligned with international publishing standards. It resumed after being inactive for two years.

Organized by the Research Journals Section, the initiative includes six in-person workshops across major cities in Pakistan, along with one virtual session to ensure wider accessibility.

The 1st Editors Orientation Capacity building Workshop – HEC Journal Recognition was held on April 10, 2025, at NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi. Renowned Experts Dr. Imtiaz Subhani (Editors & Ambassador of DOAJ, Ambassador of Crossref, Director of FORCE11& Professor/Director ORIC of ILMA University, Karachi and Ms. Amber Usman (Editor & Ambassador of DOAJ Ambassador of Crossref & Member of COPE) served as resource persons, delivering comprehensive training on international frameworks and standards for scholarly publishing.

The workshop saw an impressive turnout of around 100 participants, including faculty members, researchers, and editors from academic journals across Sindh region. Attendees engaged in interactive sessions focused on editorial policies, peer review standards, ethical publishing practices, and strategies to enhance journal visibility and ensure compliance with international directories, databases, and organizations such as COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) and DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals).

The program concluded with a closing session graced by the Acting Vice-Chancellor of NED University, who acknowledged the importance of such initiatives in uplifting the standards of academic publishing in Pakistan.

This nationwide initiative underscores HEC’s unwavering dedication to strengthening the country’s research infrastructure and aligning academic journals with recognized international standards.